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Whitney Houston's estate has responded to recent claims made by Oprah Winfrey regarding the late singer's final appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show. During a presentation at Cannes Lions, Winfrey claimed that Houston fell off the stage in 2009 due to a drug relapse. However, the estate, managed by Pat Houston, has disputed these allegations.
According to a statement provided to TMZ, Pat Houston clarified that while Whitney did fall, it occurred during a sound check, not during the live show. The fall was attributed to the darkness of the area and her unfamiliarity with the stage, not drug use. Pat emphasized that Whitney was not high at the time.
Pat Houston acknowledged Whitney's past struggles with addiction but stressed that it is "inaccurate and unfair" to link those struggles to every aspect of her life. She stated, "What the studio audience witnessed on stage was the result of discipline, talent, and commitment—not the assumptions others project."
Winfrey's comments at Cannes Lions included a claim that she had asked the audience to refrain from sharing photos of the incident to protect Houston's reputation. Winfrey believed that if the story became public, it would have severely impacted the singer's life.
Despite Winfrey's assertions, Houston's estate remains firm in defending the singer's professionalism and talent. They continue to honor her legacy by setting the record straight and rejecting any unfounded claims about her final appearance on the show.
Houston's last appearance on The Oprah Winfrey Show aired in September 2009, during which she performed "I Didn't Know My Own Strength" from her final studio album, I Look to You. Houston passed away in February 2012 at the age of 48.